Technology and Performance...They go Hand in Hand!

I was so excited that this week we learned about using technology for musical performance! So far we have discussed many methods to use technology for writing music, creating music, and using technology in general music classes. Admittedly I have been struggling to try and figure out where all these different programs and software would fit into my lessons. This week we discussed two types of software Chormatik and SmartMusic. I already use SmartMusic, and discuss this in great detail in my reflection post, so for my thoughts on this program, please read my following responses!

            The chapter starts off by discussing a scenario that I felt like was very similar to my role in schools. I start the day at one school, sometimes an elementary and sometimes a middle school, teach a group class or several lessons, then drive to my next location to teach group classes or lessons there. Although I am not sure if this was a real or made-up scenario, it was encouraging to see that this teacher was able to incorporate so many uses for technology into his lessons, despite traveling to several different locations. Some of the ideas such as using an online metronome, having the students listen to a recording of themselves, watching YouTube videos, and using SmartMusic are things that I already do during my classes. I had never considered things like tuners and metronomes to be “technology” because they seem so basic to me, however, I have to remember that if they are machines used to help the learning process than they are considered technology.  Two technologies that I have told my students to download are the Apps PanoTuner and Pro Metronome. Both these apps are free and are extremely useful for practicing at a steady beat and tuning instruments. I mainly require my strings students to download the PanoTuner App so they can tune their strings at home. This is a consistent problem that I have if we have been away from school for a while on a break or the student has been absent they can’t tune their strings and therefore cannot practice effectively. The PanoTuner App has decreased this problem tremendously, especially in my middle school orchestra class.

            I love how the chapter highlighted the importance of practicing music to improve performance and how necessary it is to motivate students but for students to also motivate themselves. This is something I struggle with every day for the past five years that I have been teaching. During class time, I feel that I can motivate the kids by having fun, telling jokes, dancing, and getting noticeably excited when the students play a passage or notes correctly. However, once the students return home, there is little support from their families, and even though some families may push the students to practice, they may not be able to help them if they are having any difficulties. Making recordings or using the recordings provided with the method books are great ways to show the students that they are on the right track. After reading this chapter, I am considering making recordings of the lessons and emailing it home to families for the students to play along with or listen to. Maybe I could encourage the students to bring flash drives to class in order to send recordings of the music home with the students to use during practice.

            The final portion of the chapter discussed using Ipads or MIDI ensembles. I have never heard of this before, and am curious what this would sound like. As someone who is classically trained, my concern would be that these instruments would sound very electronic and synthesized, which may be hard to listen to for lengthy periods of time. When I was in my college jazz ensemble, one of the other saxophone players owned an EWI (electronic wind instrument), and would use it as a solo instrument for many of his improvisations. It was definitely cool to hear and created a very interesting timbre along with the rest of the ensemble, but I am not sure I could have listened to it for longer than what we used it for. I will have to listen to these ensembles on my own to decide if they are something I want to share with my students. It is definitely a very cool concept of using Ipads and computers to replace traditional instrumentation in an orchestra. It’s quite amazing how far technology has come even from the time I was in school fifteen years ago.

Evaluation, Revision, and Composition!

          This week the text discussed using software programs to compose music, with or without music notation. As someone who knows how to read music and has been reading music for a good part of my life, I have never given much thought to composition without notation. To me, this idea seemed strange, but after reading the text and listening to the lecture, I can see where this idea makes sense. So many people in the world have an intense interest in music, but have no idea how to read music notation. As Bauer (2014) states, there are people who are considered “music illiterate” just as people who can’t read or write a language are considered illiterate. The people may be able to speak the language fluently and with no grammatical errors, but cannot read a single word of what they are speaking. Once again, from my perspective of someone who reads music daily, it is difficult for me to think in terms of literate and illiterate music students. In my classes, I require that the students learn to read the notes. Rote teaching can be very useful for younger students; however, in my instrumental music class I insist that the students learn to read the staff.

            The other side of this is the students who love music, may be constantly listening to new music, do research projects about musicians and composers, have learned to play guitar or piano by ear, but may never have read a note in their life. This was mentioned at the beginning of chapter 3 in Music Learning Today with the sophomore student who had a deep interest in music, but was not part of the instrumental or choral programs. In this case, music software such as GarageBand (or other similar programs) offers a way to compose music by using graphic and aural composition techniques. The students can actually see the music while they listen and they can add audio loops to a timeline where they can then be altered to create the sound the composer is looking for. I think this type of technology is excellent for those who can’t read music and struggle with using programs such as Sibelius or Finale.

             As I’ve stated in previous posts, I am very much a traditionalist and I have to say that I believe all musicians should become music literate and learn to read music notation. It’s not terribly difficult to memorize the notes on a staff, and even with tools that use audio clips, it could be very useful to write your own melodies on sheet music rather than using loops and sound clips that somebody else has already composed. I will definitely attempt to open my mind to the idea, but once again I find these technologies very useful for upper grades rather than elementary school. The students in elementary school may not be able to understand how to use programs like this, and easier notation software may be a better choice. I did learn about one App this week that interested me for younger students. The Pitch Painter App for iPad and iPhone allows young children to compose melodies by “painting” on their screens. The colors they choose represent different sounds and the designs that are drawn create different textures, tempos, and pitches. Once again, since this technology is geared toward children ages 3-6, this might be the wrong choice for 9, 10, and 11 year old children in the grades that I teach.

               My favorite section of the chapters we read was the brief section in chapter 3 about critique and revision. This is such an important step in not only composition but in every aspect of music. Whether it is a piece that you are trying to perfect, a composition you have been working on for several weeks, or even a music lesson that you are trying to get right, it is important to be able to critique your self objectively in order to make revisions. So often both children and adults will skip this step because it is difficult to admit that something they have done needs work. I know personally I struggle with self-critiquing constantly. I am either lackadaisical about my issues and glaze over the problems, or I am incredibly harsh and unrealistic with my expectations and end up pushing myself to the breaking point. Finding a healthy balance of objective criticism is a skill that is not only useful for music but also for everything else in life. After learning to accept and give out helpful critiques, revision is imperative for any project to succeed. Nobody, not even Mozart or Beethoven, gets it right the first time. Everybody must take time to re-listen, re-write, and re-do all aspects of composition and performance.

                 Overall, I hope that more confidence with music technology in general will help me to open up about using non-traditional methods of teaching music and composition. I’m certainly not saying that my way is the best way; I just have a difficult time altering my teaching methods to fit the needs of the “modern” student. Also I have a difficult time adjusting these advanced technologies to cater to my younger students. Most technologies I have heard about are very useful for middle or high school, but only seem like I could use them to help me teach rather than help the students learn in elementary school. Hopefully throughout the remainder of this course I can collaborate with other elementary teachers about making compositional technologies work for young musicians.

NoteFlight

         Overall I found Noteflight to be a bit tedious as compared to other music notation software. It is unfortunate that the extended version has to be purchased to use the midi keyboard for entering notes, whereas with Muse Score, the midi keyboard can be used with the free downloadable version. Using the mouse or numbers on the computer keyboard can take a lot longer than using a midi keyboard. However, with that being said, I could definitely see the benefits for a program like this in an middle or high school general music or music technology classroom. Unlike Muse score, Finale, or Sibelius, this program could be viewed live as it was happening. As a teacher, it could be useful in actively helping students with composition projects while they are away from school. They could submit assignments through this website, rather than emailing them or only being able to submit them during class time. I personally don't necessarily see the benefit of this website for my own classes in an elementary instrumental band program where the students are beginners learning to play instruments for the first time. This type of technology may be above the academic level of most of my students. However, I do occasionally write short parts or transpose parts for my students using Muse Score.  If I am trying to work on composing something for my students to perform, this may be useful for me to work on from anywhere. I would not have to worry about brining my computer with me, but rather I could work on projects from any device with access to the Internet. Overall it is an interesting concept that I could easily see potential for. I would love to see if anyone is able to successfully integrate this into their music programs.

Anyone Can be Creative!

This week is all about creativity and improvisation. When people think of music, many times they immediately think of creativity. Even the specialist team at my school is nicknamed the "creative arts team". We are brought up as a society to believe that people are either born with the creative "gene" or they aren't. Further more it is the common belief that those who do not possess this "gene" cannot possibly have a talent for the arts. So many times in my classroom I have heard children say that they aren't creative, or they can't play something because they aren't "good" enough or don't have natural talent. Hearing things like this makes me very upset, so I have set personal goals to ensure that I support the students even when they feel that they can’t accomplish something. If they say “I can’t” I say only because you say you can’t, if you say you can then there is no limit to what you can do! I am fully aware that not every child will continue with music into college, or even into high school, but the important lesson to learn in any of the creative arts is to be confident in what you do and you will be successful!

What I liked most about the reading in Music Learning Today is how Bauer places an emphasis on everyone having the ability to be creative through music, even if it might not be musical performance. As Bauer (2014) states, us music teachers grew up as part of the 20% of students who were consistently involved in concert band, jazz band, wind ensemble, marching band, and other performing groups. Even today, I am still entwined specifically in performance groups since I teach instrumental music. I often (foolishly) forget that just because a student is not in band, orchestra, or chorus, that they could have a vast interest in music. Music technology courses can offer a perfect solution for these students. The problem I encounter with this solution is that I lack the skills or the resources to offer music technology as an option for non-performance music education. However, realistically, these classes would most likely not be offered until middle or high school when students can select electives that interest them.

I was so excited when I found out that this week we would be focusing on a program that I already use frequently! Finale or Sibelius are great software programs that I learned to use in undergrad, but they come with a hefty price tag. While I was teaching in Philadelphia, one of our professional developments was about using MuseScore. I have been using it ever since to write simple compositions or to transpose parts for my students. Thankfully, it is a fairly easy program that is very similar to Finale, which is my preferred music notation software. The story about the sophomore using music tech software in the beginning of chapter 3 in Music Learning Today caused me to start thinking that MuseScore would be perfect for students in my school district. Most students in my district have access to computers and the Internet, but unfortunately have a difficult time affording many extra expenses. Since this program is free, I feel like it would be something I could show to students to increase their creative abilities in improvisation and composition.

Improvisation is an important way to spark creativity with the students I teach. As stated in Music Learning Today, in order for a student’s creativity to be tapped, it is important that they learn to improvise and compose music of their own so they can see their full potential. The problem most students encounter is their own nerves when asked to “compose” music on the spot in front of an audience. If a student has never done this before, it can be an incredibly daunting task. The best way to introduce a child to improvisation and help them feel comfortable is to begin when they are very young. The longer a student is exposed to the improvisation process, the more comfortable they will feel as they grow older. Looking back on my personal musical journey, I regret not having more opportunities to improvise and wish I had began learning improvisation at a much younger age. 

This year I started introducing the idea of improvisation to my middle school orchestra. Orchestras tend to get left out when learning improvisation, but it is definitely an important skill for any musician regardless of their instrument. We played a piece called Pepperoni Pizza Rock, which includes a four measure solo section. This piece was great for aiding in improvisation because the key was easy, the chord changes were very simple, and the composer included a chart that indicated which notes the instruments could use. The four students who volunteered to perform solos did a great job and everyone got a chance to learn about improvisation in a fun and non-threatening way.             

Technology in the Classroom: Painful or Pertinent?

Integrating more technology into my lessons is, if I’m being honest with myself, something that truly causes me to panic. Although I am only 26 years old and the use of advanced technology is considered “normal” for people my age, the though of utilizing it in my classroom is something I have never considered.  I am very aware that there are fabulous resources available that could benefit my students, but because of the way I was taught how to play an instrument, and because of my “old fashioned” personality, I tend to stray away from implementing new ideas when teaching. The bottom line is, I just don’t feel like I have enough time to use technology, nor do I feel like I have enough training on new technologies that have become available since I was in school.

Being an elementary school instrumental music teacher in my school district means traveling. If you’re lucky, or have been in the district for many years, you will only have 1-2 schools that you visit during the week. However, as I’ve only been teaching in this district for three years, I have the privilege of teaching at four different schools; three elementary schools and one middle school. I love the diversity of the cultures, students, and staff that I work with, however when I have deadlines to meet and concerts to prepare for, but I’m only seeing the students for 45 minutes to an hour a week, I don’t feel as if it is worth it to use smart boards, software programs, or special music apps during class time. The other major concern I have is that I teach in primarily low economic areas in all title I schools. The schools do have technology budgeted for the building, however, with the lack of monetary resources, the budgets tend to go to the math, science, or reading departments, rather than the “special” departments. When there is money budgeted for instrumental music, I feel as if I should be spending it on new music, instrument repairs, and supplies rather than new technologies that I don’t see as necessary.

Bauer (2014), discusses everyone’s level of technology use as being digital natives, digital immigrants, or digital novices. Although I rarely use any technology in my classroom, aside from my laptop where I regularly use Microsoft Office programs, I still believe I am at digital immigrant. When I was growing up, the Internet did not exist, or if it did, it was not commonly used. I never had high-speed cable internet until I was in high school and certainly did not have a cell phone until I was 17 years old when I started driving (for safety purposes only). Now, I do have an iphone, an ipad, a MacBook Pro, and can effectively navigate the Internet with ease. I believe I would be able to “speak” technology with an “accent”, as Bauer states, meaning I could hold a conversation about certain technologies, but not be able to really use them to the best of my abilities while at school.

The types of technologies that interest me most are any apps that could assist in teaching instrumental music. Also getting to know more about smart boards and how I can integrate them into my lessons. The article, Learning Your Personal Network, highlighted podcasts and wikis as great sources for new ideas. Listening to or watching other teachers is probably my most effective way of learning new techniques. I did some of my best teaching after observing other teachers in action, so these tools may be very valuable to improving my lessons.

            Aside from all my worries, after reading the second chapter in Music Learning Today, I felt a bit better about my “tech struggle”. The beginning of this chapter outlined the basics of computers, and I was pleasantly surprised that I already knew about most of the components within a computer. Further more, the chapter also discussed peripheral devices such as monitors, scanners, printers, speakers, and headphones. I am well aware that these are just the basics and the material will get more complicated as the text progresses, however, having an understanding of the basics makes it easier to expand on the topic. Any small victory, in my opinion, can be seen as a positive, especially when I am so nervous at the overall topic of this course.

            It is my hope that this course can act as the professional development that is lacking at my schools. The professional development we receive now is mainly about testing, and usually pertains to subjects other than the creative and performing arts. In fact, during most professional developments I am asked to simply “join another content area” to assist them in their professional learning. As I stated earlier, I am anxious about integrating technology into my classroom, however I am very interested to learn about all the new tools available to enrich the students’ learning.

My First Blog Post

Here is my first blog post! This is more of a test than anything else... Welcome to Amanda's Auditorium!